Looking for Advice (again!!)

[Learner]

It's a losing battle with these bloody aiptasia.. :'(  'scuse the French.

Looks as though I'm going to have to remove all rock, and sand in order to eradicate them.

Absolutely gutted, as there is so much stuff growing on the rocks other than the aippies

Some questions:

If I take out all rock, how badly will its removal affect the tank mates?

I also need to replace the sand - they are even in that, so will it be okay to just add fresh live sand?

My corals - will they have to die? - Aippies are on their bits of rock too.

I know you said to put rock into a container, keep water at about 70f, and do a 100% WC weekly, and it could take around 3-4 months.

I really don't want to go and buy more rock, as apart from the fact that it is sooo expensive, I'd like to re-use the rock I've got.

Bill, you mentioned that it would be possible to cure the rock in an established tank....how would this happen please? I know it's a long way off, but I want to get some sort of timescale sorted, as I'm due to go away in June, so need to know what to do and when.

Having a breakdown now, text also starting to jump.
Grateful for ANY advice...thanks. :'(

[Learner]

Re: previous post....
I will have to put the rock in a container in my garden shed, it's going to be a very smelly process methinks ??? so was wondering if it will be okay to let the temp fall below 70f ?
It's verrry cold out there at the moment. :-\

Should I take out say half of the rock, treat it for a few months whilst treating corals in the tank with Aiptasia-X, then remove the rest of the rock, place treated stuff back in tank and replenish sand?

AArgghhh,
Thanks.

[Bergy]

storing the rock/cooking the rock will also kill off the corals

if you are removing the rock to save the corals, then that wont work

you can break the corals off the rock and put the corals back into the tank.. just place them on the bottom for now...

the cooking of rock, (not literal cooking.. just storing in buckets with power heads and heater at 75degrees and weekly water changes) does take time.. it isnt that smelly.. not any worse then keeping a fish tank..

It should be done in dark area.. NO LIGHT...

You can add new live sand and new live rock, and it be 'reseeded' by the water and rock and sand that is left...

the 'seed'  is what is left in your tank from the original biologicl filtration

your fish and corals should do fine.. I would add 25% of the rock you want a time... then in two weeks you should be ok


sorry to hear about all this..

I would actually stick it out for a few more weks prior to actually doing all this as i know rock and sand is really expensive...

Oh, also, after you take everything out. i would go rockless and sandless for a couple weeks also...


you will probably have to do weekly water changes during this period


gl


bill

[cruzincaril]

wow..u have my sympathies!

[Learner]

Thanks Carole. :)

Thanks Bill,
I'll do as advised.
 
I have a water bin which is dark, with a lid to put leads for powerhead and heater through, so should be good to go.

As you said it won't be too smelly, I can keep it all in the same room so as to avoid carting stuff to and fro.

I'll give it another week or so, and let you know how things go.

Thanks again for your advice and help, it's priceless. :)

[cruzincaril]

 ;D

[Bergy]

yea, most folks place the bin into a closet or something out of the way...

But, as long as you have water circulating and the temp is around 75-80, (I would stick closer tothe 75), then there shouldnt be smells...

basically, you are starving the rocks and the organisms... no food, and no light...

the B.O. will starve out, and the reason you need to wait so long is that when they do starve out and die, they will become food for the remaining organisms... which will cause a mini population explosion.

so basicalyy you are cyclng the rocks with no food... and letting them feed upon themselves until there aint no more


AFter about 2-3 weeks, you should do a water change, and swish the hell out of the rocks to wash off any sludge or debris or detritus or dead critters...

you should have a couple buckets of dirty water, (iused tank water from prior water changes)

after swishing then put back into the bin with used tank water, (but not the dirty swishing water), and repeat the process every 2-3 weeks, for a few months...

[pinkorchid]

ughh...that really sucks!!
Good luck with everything, crossing my fingers by giving it a few weeks you can avoid option #2.

[Learner]

ughh...that really sucks!!
Good luck with everything, crossing my fingers by giving it a few weeks you can avoid option #2.

Thanks Amy, -the downside of live rock  :-\

Hindsight is a wonderful thing eh? just wish I had known what they were when they first appeared!!! ???

[cruzincaril]

good luck

[naturalbornrokstar]

Wow what a pain!! Good luck!!!

[Hajra]

if its appies that you are having trouble with try pep shrimp. thats what i did and it worked great. i put 2 in a 36 gallon and recently moved one to my ten gallon tank. That is if you can find them and noting in t your tank will eat them. also if you go for peps go for the darker ones as they tend to eat appies better.

[Learner]

Thanks for the support Carole, Natural and Haj' 8)

I couldn't get Pep' shrimps; I tried, my supplier tried, but no luck at all!!

I bought Berghia Nudibranches, and their diet is solely aippies; popped them into the system, and....nothing. :'(

Anyhow, the tank is now stripped of all aippy carrying stuff, and I've started a new thread entitled. The Rebuild. :)

[Hajra]

they shouldnt be called appies they should be called vermin.
 LOL. SORRY

[Learner]

they shouldnt be called appies they should be called vermin.
 LOL. SORRY

 

I agree  ;D